archive

Tear down North

Letter to the Editor | Sunday, September 9, 2007

To the students, faculty, staff and administration of the University of Notre Dame: Greetings and peace.In accordance with all standards of equality, there ought to be a more striking similarity between the dining halls. The North Dining Hall is a full-fledged post-modern cafeteria with a labyrinthine layout and several separate levels of eating areas. The South Dining Hall is a true hall in the collegiate sense, although it is regrettably divided into two Dining Rooms, West and East, with a central court between them, which is systematically arranged for the benefit and satisfaction of all.These almost diametrically opposed dining alternatives display a lack of sincerity by the University administration which must be remedied at any cost. This writer does not suggest revolution, as Will Guappone has done (“Fight for your Cocoa Puffs,” Sept. 5). A more peaceful way is possible.The University intends to build several residence halls on the east side of campus, near the Hesburgh Library. It is the opinion of this writer that in addition to these new dormitories, a new dining hall ought to be constructed at the expense of North, which would be demolished at the earliest possible date. This new edifice, to be called the East Dining Hall, would resemble its southern counterpart in architecture, layout, service, and mission. In this way, not only would the grave disparity between the current dining halls be remedied, but there would also be an opportunity for true competition, for which in the past few decades the reasonable grounds have been at best mediocre.